Tire.



I. B. KEMPSHALL.

.IIIRE.

AP ILIUATION'IILED mums, 1910.

Patented Oct. 18,1910,

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

' I. B. KEMPSHALL.

- TIRE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 18, 1910 973,278, Patented (mt, 18,1910.

- 2 SHEET EEEEEE 2.

surfaces of the UNITED STATES PATENT onnron.

IVA BELLE KEMPSHALL, OE BOSTON, MAfiSAGHUSETTS.

TIRE.

Specification .of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 18', 1910.

Application filed June 18, 1910. Serial No. 567,678.

'art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters or figures of referen marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to improvements in tires, designed primarily for automobiles:

The prime object of the invention is to provide a tire structure, which will efiectually withstand the strain of the load pressure, and to provide means for preventing the usual reinforcing ribs from cracking.

According (O my present invention. I provide a series of radially disposed reinforcing ribs or projections, adjacent an annular tread, the said radial ribs terminating at the level of the base of the annular tread rim, so that when the latter expands laterally under excessive load pressure, the outer radial ribs will act as abutmcnts.

The invention also com rehends improvements in the structural details, which will be hereinafter described, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

. In the drawings: Figure 1 is a perspective View of a portion of my improved tire. Fig. 2 is a transverse section of the same on the line 2-2 of Fi 1. Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig;L2;but'l'llustrating thetrea'd surface of the tire under load pressure. Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig fl glbut taken on the line 4.4 of Fig. 1', and showing the tread flat. Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic illustration of the tire passing around a curve. Fig. 6 is a side view of a slight modification.

-The same numerals refer. to like parts in all the figures.

1 indicates a tire, the walls of which taper from the tread to'their inner edges indicated at 2. The tread of the tire is extended to provide a thickened wall or extended tread rim 3, the surface of which is slightly convex, and the side walls of which are prefer.- ably parallel, and are uninterru )ted throughout the entire circumference o the tire. Tltlt tread surface of the rim is pref-.

' to have the-yieldi;

rim 3. Thus it wil be seen that, inasmuch erab'ly provided with a series of pockets or suction cups 4, designed topreveht the tire from skidding.

In order to effectually brace thesidesof the main bod portion of the tire, and ,at thesame time a 0rd a substantial means-for resistlng excess1ve load strain when ap bed to the tread rim 3, I have arranged-a p urality of lateral ribs or braces 6, which are preferably radially dis osed, and which taper toward the inner e ge of the tire. 'The'outer or enlarged ends of the lateral ribs or braces terminate at the levelof'the base of the annular tread rim 3, so'as to leave the side walls of the latter uninterrupted,' as previously stated, and at the same time ermit the said rim to freely lateral-1y expan when load pressure is applied.- The outer .upper edges of the ribs 6 are disposed inwardly some distance from the outer edges and side walls of the annular tread rim, so that they do not come into active operation to cooperate with the annular tread rim, to accomplish the purpose of this invention, until the load pressure is in excess of what may be termed a determinate normal pressure on the rim 3. The ribs Bare convex in outline, and gradually taper toward all sides to' 0bvtila te the formation of corners or sharp e ges.

Inoperation the convex-tread surface of the flange 3 receives the load .pressure,".which, under normal circumstances, would 'be somewhat compressed, the strain being distributed throughout the entire tire surface. Under these circumstances the lateral-ribs 6 simply serve as side braeesfor "the body of the tire, and to a great degree prevent the latter from compress-in too 'freel it being one of the purposes 0% this invention action take place in the as the lateral ribs donot or yield-1 with the rim 3, the said ribs will not crack or split. When the load pressure exceeds the predetermined normal pressure the rim '3 will necessarily become eat'ly com: resse'd, and the parallel side we ls will ten to expand laterally, as illustrated in a conventional manner at 7, inFig. 3. The thrust of excessive pressure is received on the outer faces of the ribs at the points 8, which will prevent said ribs from cracking. The

abnormal lateral extended portion of the sides of the rim 3, when maximum load y pressure is applied, forms in rolls 7, which impinge the outer faces of the; ribs, and thereby the latter-act as a plurality of-stifi braces, which retard the inward movement of the rim. The convex tread surface of the rim is of considerable importance in a tire of this type, inasmuch asit tends to cause the minimum load pressureto be distributed throughout the central part of the annular tread rim before the side walls commence to laterall expand or bulge'beyond the norurthermore; by making the surface convex, when excessive load pressure occurs,

- a greater lateral extension or bulgin effect the si e walls of the sides of the rim will take p ace to form a lar 1'. body of resilient material to en age witfi the outer faces of the ribs.

he ets, onsuction'cups, being preferably disposed alternately between the ribs, 1 the side wa of therim 3 wlll give more readilyfthan at points opposite the ribs' thereb the bulgingeor-lateral expansion 0 are therefore not'soessentialat these points.

When turning a corner; the tire naturally tilts, and it 'isj l1nder thes'e'conditions the.

uninterrupted side walls of the rim come prominently .into play. That' is to say, as

1 the strain of the load pressure is on but one side, as shown in the diagram illustratedin Fig. 5, the lateral bulging of the side w'allof the flange will begreater'than if the the were operating in a normal position. Theref0re, .1t is, of the, utmost importance that the sides and body be properly} braced to receive'this undue strain,- and from an inspection'of Fig. 5 it will'be seen the outer surfaces of the ribs will act as stops or' abutments for the vportion 7 of the rim,

and thereby distribute the strain toand throughout. the entire tire body.

The ribs 6 may be alternately distributed with referenceto each other on opposite .qSldeS of the tire, as shown in Fig. 6. Under certain circumstances this construction will be effective to distribute the load strain.

To insure of the side walls of the rim .bul in'g-sufliciently to overlie the outer faces .of t e ribs, I may undercut them somewhat,

but I prefer, the parallel walls.

'WhatIcIaim is: I QL A tire provided on lt's'tread. surface with an annular tread rim, the tread face greater, and the braces 'of-the'annular tread rim being cbhvx, and, ribs on the sides of the tire, the ends, of said ribs terminating? each at the level of the base of the tread rim and extending outwardly beyond the latter and toward the inner edge -of the tire, whereby when load pressure is ap 'Ing com'presse e lied the tread rim will in beand laterally beyond the normal plane of t e'side of the tread rim, and the outer surfaces of said ribs will receive'the lateral ex anded ends of the ,an- 'nular tread rim, an serve to resist said load pfiessure, and brace the sides of the body of t e tire.

: 2.. A tire provided on its tread surface with an annulartread rim, whose opposite outer wallsare substantially flat, and ribs on the sidesof the tire, the ends of: said ribs terminating each at the level of the base of the annular tread, rim and extend outwardly beyond the latter and toward the inner edge of the tire, 'whereby,-' when load pressure is applied, the tread rim will in bemg compressed expand laterally beyond the normal plane of the side faces of the tread rim, and the outer surfaces of said ribs will 'receive the lateral expanded ends of the tread rim, and s'erveto resist said load pressure, and brace the sides of "the body of the a tire.

3.A. tire provided on its tread surface with an annular tread rim and ribs on the sides of the tire, the ends of said ribs terminating each it a point some' d-i'stance from the outer edges of the tread rim and extend outwardly beyond the latter whereby when .load pressure is applied'the tread rim will,

in being compressed expand laterally beyond the normalplane of the side faces of said tread rim, and the outer surfaces of.

said ribs will receive the'lateral expanded ends, of the tread rim, and'serve to resist said load pressure, and brace the sides of the body of the tire.

' In testimony whereof I have signed my 'name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

IVA BELLE-KEMPSHALL;.

- Witnesses: 1

JAMES H. Dominrr, JOHN J. REGAN. 

